Alcort Super Sailfish ZSA ZSA 13 Dec 18 Toe Rail and Rub Rail

12 Dec 18:

Worked on ZSA ZSA's deck, but first a PSA. Here is the remnant of a keeper chain for the $50 horizontal hinge pin of the rudder assembly. They don't keep very well, we suggest attaching the keeper to the rudder vs the deck.

We dredged out the seam a bit with a half moon blade on a DeWALT multi oscillating tool.

There MIGHT have been a leak here, the deck panel was popped loose at the bow. We used our saw to clean out some old adhesive.

New shop stool CARMEN put to work with WALDO.

Busted the mast step loose, someone had attached it with two lag bolts, normally takes 4 #12 bronze screws. It's off now, and we can see that the deck was replaced at one point, probably how the foam blocks got inside back when.

Removed the corroded coaming fasteners.

Used a syringe to inject TotalBoat THIXO thickened epoxy into the deckedge seam. It was easier on my hand to dispense the THIXO and mix it by hand vs using the mixing tip, then trowel it into the syringe. We also filled old fastener holes.

Put a sealer coat of TotalBoat Halcyon Amber Varnish on the mast step.

Made a pattern of the plank with parchment paper.

Sanded and sanded and sanded. 40 grit on the DeWALT random orbit sander and Black and Decker belt sander, lots of old paint to get gone. Smoothed the scarf.

Primary goal was to get the surface smooth and put some tooth on the old paint so it will hold primer.

Started putting some bend in the toe rail. Spoiler Alert! It didn't work.

We interrupt our regularly scheduled program for Trailer Tetris. CYANE's trailer back to the trailer park, SMEDLEY to the driveway.

13 Dec 18:

Dry fit the rub rail, trimmed the lower edge up a bit per Culler style. The toe rail will be trimmed at the bow to make room for the bow handle.

Cut the toe rail down to 3/4 inches wide so it would take a bend. It will cover the top of the rub rail and overlap the deck. Both the rub rail and toe rail be permanently fastened with THIXO and will protect the deck seam. Drilled countersink and pilot hole with combination Fuller bit, dry fit with #6 silicone bronze wood screws. To make the toe rail curve we placed screws every 3 inches, otherwise a screw was used every 12 inches to hold the trim in position. We could have used deck screws for this, we recommend using a screw with a star drive or square drive and to always drill pilot holes, otherwise the narrow trim will split.

The current plan is to remove the screws after the THIXO cures, fill the screw holes with epoxy based TotalFair. Once the trim is on we will slightly round the cut edge so it is not sharp, if we remember we will put it on the outside edge or work it over before it is installed with a thumb plane.

Log of ZSA ZSA.

1978 AMF Sunfish SUGAR 2 14 Jul 18 Seam Repair

14 Jul 18:

Repaired a seam split with TotalBoat THIXO, light clamping. Used a syringe to inject it into the tight spots, and the mixing tip for the center void.

Sanded off the grass bits with 120 grit.

Sprayed 2 coats of Rust-Oleum Semi Gloss White.

Log of Sugar 2.

1978 AMF Sunfish SUGAR 2 07 Jun 18 Seam Epoxy Repair

07 Jun 18:

Time to seal up the seam on SUGAR 2. We cut some seam size strips of 4 oz fiberglass cloth, about 30 feet of it and wet them out with TotalBoat Low Viscosity THIXO. The seam was propped open with paint sticks about every three feet, that is a good length of strip to handle at one time. We also prepositioned clamps and paint sticks to clamp the seam. The paint sticks help even out the pressure from the clamps.

Next we put down a bead of THIXO in the seam to bed the fiberglass strips, laid in the strips, put another bead of THIXO on the top of the strips, than took out the paint sticks.

Clamps. Lots of them. And since we didn't have enough big clamps we made some cheap ones by cutting sections of 4 inch PVC pipe and slitting one side.

Log of SUGAR 2.

AMF Sunfish Viper Deck Seam Repair 26 Sep 17

08 Apr 2015:
We rounded up 2 Sunfish built by AMF's Alcort Division. "Viper" is a 1980 boat that had been holding down a piece of plywood at Coastal Marine Works (formerly Breezy Boat City) in Gulf Breeze Florida. A young man needing some cash had brought in the damaged hull to our friend Jan and he helped him out. The hull had most of the parts stripped, a damaged seam and unsightly fiberglass patches, so it took up residence on a piece of plywood behind the office. Jan sold the business to our friend Allen Pinkston aka "Viper" and we discussed the destiny of the hull several times. The good news was that with all of the holes in it, no water had stayed inside and saturated the foam blocks. "Viper" will get a Naval Aviation tribute paint scheme using VF-84's Jolly Rogers colors as inspiration.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

"Sugar 2" is a 1983 boat that was doing an admirable job of leaning against a wall at ICC Marine in Gulf Shores, Alabama. She had most of her parts stripped as well and has a big hole in the bow. We bought her as part of a 2 1/2 boat deal from Jim and our friend Loxley brought her over when he came to pick up "Boo." The hull is actually in decent shape, just need a bath and small repair....and a lot of parts. "Sugar 2" will get a tribute paint scheme using S-2F Tacker paint as a guide.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Date Unknown:

Split the seam on Viper so we can access the inside for fiberglass repair. Added an inspection port hole forward of daggerboard trunk.

25 Jul 17:

Restoration resumes on Viper. Lots of old fiberglass patches to remove, used a heat gun to soften the polyester resin and then sanded smooth with 60 grit on a random orbital sander. Removed the cockpit trim by drilling out the rivets with a 1/8 inch bit. Removed old paint from the deck with 60 grit on a random orbital sander.

Viper needs a new backer block for the bow handle...and all of the other deck hardware as well.

The little loop is where the factory hooked up a strap to pull the hull out of the mold.

26 Jul 17:

Well it took a heat gun running 1150 degrees F AND an oscillating multi tool to burn and chisel off the blob.

Surprise, there was a hole in the boat, with rotting pieces of wood inside...and a small fire, not to worry...

Removed excess two part expanding foam, it had oozed under the storage cubby. It us used to hold the white flotation foam in place, but you only need a little.

You are looking at the bottom side of the storage cubby. At the top of the photo is the white flotation foam that runs along the keel and under the tail end of the cubby, that will stay. The edges of the hull have been faired back in prep for fiberglass repair, all crushed, loose fiberglass has been removed. A backer patch of woven roving and cardboard will be installed inside the hull, then multiple layers of 4 oz cloth will be stacked in the hole, small to large pieces and the last few pieces will overlap the faired area. Fair. Sand. Paint (gel coat if you have the talent).

Waiting for a patch

That's two part expanding foam and the bottom of the storage cubby, some healthy looking woven roving!

28 Aug 17:

Made fiberglass backer patches, formed to the hull shape. Laid down plastic sheet first, then laid out the 4 oz fiberglass cloth and saturated it with thickened TotalBoat epoxy. Covered with another sheet of plastic to let it dry to shape. Once dry the patches will be epoxied inside the hull to form a base for additional layers.

26 Sep 17:

Laid a strip of 4 ox fiberglass cloth to reinforce the hull flange of the deck seam, bedded in TotalBoat THIXO thickened epoxy. Covered the strip with plastic and clamped while it dried.

26 Sep 17:

Laid a strip of 4 ox fiberglass cloth to reinforce the hull flange of the deck seam, bedded in TotalBoat THIXO thickened epoxy. Covered the strip with plastic and clamped while it dried.

to be continued...


Learn more about your Sunfish in The Sunfish Owner's Manual.